Category Archives: Heirlooms
Pepper Sweet Friggitello
Generations of Italian families have savored this crispy sweet pepper. This family heirloom variety is used in salads or sauteed with the extras pickled or dried. Large 3′ plants bear large crops of 3-4″ long tapered fruits that turn bright
Chrysanthemum Tricolor Daisy
This “painted daisy” was introduced from Morocco 200 years ago. The plants are about 2 ft. tall and bushy topped in midsummer with bright daisies in a riot of colors;red white or yellow ringed with scarlet mahogany orange or rust.
Strawberry Alpine Alexandria
One of the better known heirloom alpine strawberries Alexandria has thimble-sized luscious dark red berries. Top-rated for flavor vigor and yield these runnerless everbearing plants produce more fruit when allowed ample space. Grow in full sun to part shade. Plant
Tomato Principe Borghese
An excellent heirloom grape tomato revered for its drying qualities and use in sauces. This determinate variety originally from Tuscany has fruits with few seeds and a relatively dry meat perfect for paste.
Lettuce Four Seasons
Heirloom. The name alludes to the remarkable cold hardiness of this very beautiful 6″ butterhead. It’s still one of the best lettuces both for early spring planting and for fall/winter harvests. Outer leaves are tinged with red. Inner leaves are
Tomato Amana Orange
This huge orange heirloom tomato takes its name from Iowa’s Amana Colonies one of America’s longest-lived communal societies where it has been a long-time favorite. With a mild sweet tropical flavor this beefsteak variety’s fruits are light orange and fluted
Tomato Mr. Stripey
Mr. Stripey’s mild sweet-tasting fruits have a high sugar content and grow to over 1 lb. each. Pretty and luscious this tomato has rich yellow undertones covered with pinkish-red striping. Indeterminate.
Tomato Red Zebra
Red Zebra is thought to be a naturally occurring cross between Green Zebra and an unknown though certainly red parent. The beautiful and tartly flavored offspring are gorgeous 2 to 3″ round cherry-red fruits with rich orange streaks. The bountiful
Lettuce Black Seeded Simpson
Hugely popular for over 150 years it’s one of the most tender and delicately flavored leaf lettuces ever bred. The ruffled leaves are large with an appealing green color. Simpson is well adapted to a wide range of climates and
Broccoli Romanesco
Romanesco is the preeminent Italian heirloom variety and was first documented in Italy in the 16th century. Its crisp beautiful apple-green whorled heads impart an altogether pleasing nutty taste. Most often enjoyed raw the broccoli if lightly cooked will retain
Pepper Sweet Jimmy Nardello
We have one Giuseppe Nardello to thank for this spectacularly tasty sweet frying pepper. From the small village of Ruoti in the Basilicata region of southern Italy Giuseppe brought this heirloom to the states where it was introduced in 1887.
Tomato Stupice
Prized for the rich tangy flavor this heirloom tomato variety from Czechoslovakia produces impressive yields of succulent 2″ red fruits. The indeterminate plants with potato leaf foliage are early to yield making them delicious candidates for northern gardens.
Lettuce Tom Thumb
A unique English heirloom lettuce that can take the heat and stars in the kitchen. Mild and creamy the bright yellowish-lime green leaves from the tiny 4-5″ butterhead are just right for individual salads. The bright yellow-lime green leaves form
Pepper Sweet Sheepnose Pimento
You can tell that Sheepnose has vintage rural origins since few of us see a sheep or its nose often enough to think of naming a lovely delicious pimento after the ovine proboscis. An heirloom originally found in Ohio these
Onion Tokyo Long White
This bunching onion has long slender roots that are harvested as large scallions. Reaching about 12 to 15″ tall the stalk bottoms are pure white while the pungent flavorful tops are medium green. Use fresh or cook as you would
Cucumber Parisian
Tickled by pickles? Pick this dark-green French heirloom gherkin with firm thick flesh and precious few seeds. Great for home preserving. Harvest in just 50 days-less than 2 months-for picking and pickling.
Mustard Mizuna
This Japanese mustard reputedly Indian in origin has a mild slightly peppery taste. The heirloom’s leaves add pizzazz to gourmet mixed-green salads and are delicious sauteed or stir-fried. Bright green and heavily serrated the leaves have a picturesque feathery look
Tomato German Johnson
Originally grown in West Virginia this heirloom was one of the parent lines for another cherished heirloom: the legendary Mortgage Lifter. With pinkish-red skin and nearly seedless meaty mild flesh the large lobed fruits weigh 3/4-1 1/2 lb. A favorite
Tomato Burpee’s Long-Keeper
A Burpee introduction in 1979 Long-Keeper is a must for winter storage. Staying fresh for 6-12 weeks or more it provides fruits for fresh use during the fall and into the winter. The skin of these fruits is a golden
